Traditional bicycle cadence sensors rely on magnets mounted on a bicycle crank arm to generate electronic signals reflective of the rate at which the crank arm turns. In addition to requiring multiple components, e.g., a magnet mounted to the crank arm and a sensor mounted to the bicycle frame, such sensors also may include one or more wires in order to transmit data to a control or display element. Such systems typically only generate at most one reading per revolution, due to the presence of a single magnet mounted to the crank arm. While it is possible to increase the frequency of reporting, e.g., by mounting additional magnets to the crank arm, such modifications further complicate the system by requiring additional components, increasing the odds that one or more components break, fall off, or become misaligned, thereby defeating any potential benefits. Additionally, such systems only report that the wheel is turning for any reason and may not accurately report the presence of pedaling.
At the same time, many modern mountain bicycles are equipped with suspensions in order to provide a more comfortable, less jarring ride on uneven terrain. Sophisticated mountain bicycles also may include suspension controls to refine the damping effects of those suspensions even further. The pedaling state of the bicycle may affect the desired suspension control settings. Further, false or slow indications of a pedaling state of the bicycle may result in poorly controlled suspensions.